3 Minutes on a Park Bench with Mary Kay Napoli of Villa Maria Academy High School

We emailed Patch partner Mary Kay Napoli of Villa Maria Academy High School, who explains how students at Villa Maria receive a premium 21st century educational experience and also tells us about the work Villa Maria does in the Malvern community.

Patch: How did you get into teaching or education?

Mary Kay Napoli: I have always wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. Specifically, I wanted to teach in a Catholic school because I believe that developing students spiritually as well as academically truly allows them to succeed in life. I believe that all of the faculty and staff here at Villa Maria view education as a true vocation, not simply a job.

Patch: What is your favorite event at the school?

Mary Kay Napoli: We have so many wonderful traditions at our school (Carol and Ring, Thanksgiving Liturgy, May Celebration, Fine Arts Festivals, Pep Rallies, etc.) that it’s difficult for me to pick one. I love our Daisy Chain/Senior Sing in May. Our juniors officially become the “seniors” and each class sings a farewell song to the graduating class. So many alumnae and past parents come to share in this event and it has such a family feel.

Patch: If you had to recommend someone three books, what would they be and why?

Mary Kay Napoli: All the Light We Cannot See, Left to Tell and When Breath Becomes Air are all inspiring books. The first one is fiction, the other two are non-fiction. Each of these books is such a beautiful story of the importance of spirit, faith and empowerment.

Patch: Can you tell us a little bit about the curriculum?

Mary Kay Napoli: As Villa Maria Academy approaches its sesquicentennial in 2022, the Academic program looks to ensure a premium 21st century educational experience that challenges each student to develop her God-given potential by providing a learning environment that is collaborative, creative, global in scope, interdisciplinary and technologically appropriate.

Patch: How are you involved in the Malvern community?

Mary Kay Napoli: Our students and faculty/staff are active members of the local community. Our musicians perform at community events. Our students, faculty and staff volunteer for various local service projects and participate in parish events in the community. In addition, we tutor grade school students in and around the Malvern area. A number of our students are employed at local businesses.

Patch: What is the school's teaching philosophy?

Mary Kay Napoli: Perhaps this is best summarized by our Mission Statement: “Villa Maria Academy, a Catholic college preparatory school in the charism of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, empowers young women to lead lives of spiritual growth, intellectual inquiry and Christian service.”

Patch: What makes Villa Maria Academy stand out?

Mary Kay Napoli: I believe that our focus on the individual and our ability to allow each young woman to reach her full potential cannot be matched by any other school. One prime example of this is our Senior Capstone Project. The Senior Capstone Project is a culminating learning activity that encourages critical thinking and research, promotes conversation and problem solving, and results in real life application of prior and acquired knowledge. Students will concentrate on areas of personal interest. Using an inquiry-based method, they will connect their acquired knowledge to life experiences, deepening their awareness of what they learned. The goal of this learning activity is not only to sharpen and expand the students’ method of research but to develop interpersonal and communication skills and to encourage personal growth.